Keeping the Secret
by AyLee Cambell
Summary: Parker/Eliot. They have a secret they want to keep private from everyone else. This is starting from The Nigerian Job and working it's way through the episodes.
1. The Nigerian Job

The Nigerian Job

By: AyLee Cambell

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Wish I did but I don't.

I bought the episode off of iTunes and re-watched it so if there are parts in here that you don't know about or haven't seen it's because they've shortened it on the TV to fit an into an hour. And if you haven't seen the longer version of the pilot I suggest you try to cause I love the little parts that they cut out.

* * *

When she was contacted to do the job she wasn't sure if she would take it or not. She had never worked with anyone before, not really, and she wasn't sure that she wanted to start doing so now. But then she heard who else was going to be working the job and how much she was going to get paid and she had to rethink it.

She also had to talk to Eliot. It would be the first time they had ever worked together besides the rare overlap of a job that sometimes happened when they were meeting each other.

But the job did sound kind of fun, and she would get a chance to use the zip line, one of her favorite things to do. She had the perfect new hat to hold her hair back too, and she'd get to see how working a job with Eliot went.

Then there was the money.

She really wanted the money.

* * *

They took the job. Thought it might even be fun. There wasn't many chances they got to work together and they wanted to know what it would feel like.

The boy, Hardison, keeps glancing at Parker. He'd taken one look at her and made little comments here and there that sounded too flirty to be completely innocent. Parker's ignoring him in the way that she usually ignores anyone who hasn't been updated into her radar and he's reminded of why he only works alone.

Someone flirting with Parker usually doesn't annoy him this much so he's wondering what's put him so on edge but he knows it due to that fact that she's with him. As safe as she feels to have him with her he can't help but worry about her. He knows she's more than capable of handling herself but he's usually only hired for one thing and he doesn't like it that there is a chance the violence might spread to her.

He'd already almost lost her not to long ago, he really didn't want to have to go through that again.

So he's on edge and the flirting is hitting his nerves and he's trying not to loose his temper and to stay calm. It's harder than it usually is but usually he doesn't worry about himself too much and now he's worrying about her and how she'll be out of his sight.

Nate starts the countdown and Parker jumps early. He curses as they look over the side. Seeing her jump than hang upside down over the side of the building isn't helping him but he calls her crazy and continues with his job. No one can know that they mean something to each other. If it's found out it'll only be used against them later.

Standing in the elevator next to Hardison he tells Parker to hurry it up, mostly to make sure that everything is still going to plan. So far so good, now hopefully it'll stay that way.

* * *

When they're told about the problem they both freeze for a second before Eliot huffs for a second as he suffered a moment of panic.

"Every man for himself." He announces, thinking of the best way to get to Parker so they can get out safely and without being caught.

Hardison says that he has the merchandise, as if it wouldn't take him a second to get it from the kid and be on his way.

Then Parker's voice is saying that she's got an exit and he calms down enough to hear Nate tell them that he has a plan. All he knows is that it better be a good one.

Or heads would roll.

* * *

And she's running into the elevator. Nothing like a little excitement to make everything better. The risk of something almost going wrong but most likely going to go their way has her in a good mood again. She knows Eliot is probably still slightly pissed and irritated and even if he doesn't want to admit it, slightly worried, so when she runs into the elevator she pulls her top off immediately.

She knows what distracts him by now.

Smirking as both turn their back to her she has them hand her what she needs as she pulls her pants off. It's funny and kind of cute how they both try to avoid looking at her, or at least how Eliot is trying to make it look like he's not sneaking peeks in whenever he can.

"Ooh a bra." She says once one of them hand it to her and she pulls it on. "Haven't worn one of these in a while." She teases and notices both of them tense while she pulls her skirt on and grabs her shirt. They try to distract themselves by talking about what plan this would be that they were on and she has to hide her smirk when she hears what the result of Plan M would be.

She holds still as she can while their fixing her up, only looking down when Eliot touches her leg, so that they can get out without problems. Then they're out of the elevator and walking out of the building and getting into the car with Nate.

* * *

A while later they've changed and slightly cold and waiting for Hardison to do what needs to be done on the computer. They're ready for the night to be over with and ready for their money.

After it's done they all get in their parting shots, Hardison commenting on how well they worked together.

"One time show, no encore." Eliot states.

"I already forgot your names." Parker tells them, giving Eliot a glance.

His answering gaze tells her that he'll be reminding her what it is later, once they're away from the others. She can't wait.

But instead of giving anything away she turns to Nate and starts to ask him how it felt after Hardison comments on them being a good team again.

After that they all go their separate ways, Parker making sure that she's too far away from the others so that no one will notice that she's actually heading over to where Eliot has stormed away to.

He's waiting for her, arms crossed and leaning back against a pole as he watches her walk up to him.

"You've forgotten my name?" He asked her, hooking a finger into the waistband of her pants and tugging her closer to him.

She shrugged and smirked at him. "Guess you'll just have to remind me what it is." She tells him.

"Oh I planned on it darlin', I planned on it."

And after that they went back to their hotel room and don't get much sleep that night.

* * *

Which was one of the reasons why they were so pissed off when they found out about their money a few hours later.

He get's a location and they're pissed and ready to get going. Someone crossed them, and this was the reason why they normally worked alone. Didn't have to worry about someone screwing you over or trusting anyone else when it was just you. But since they know it's not them there is a very short list of who was responsible, and both of them are going to find out who they're going to be going after.

"Let's go." Parker says and stands up naked to change into clothes.

It says something about his mood that he only takes a second to enjoy the view before he's jumping up as well to grab something.

She turns and looks at him. "I want our money." She says, pouting and blue-gray eyes angry.

"I know." He tells her and doesn't say anything when he sees her pick up her gun.

As much as he dislikes it, and sometimes that's not strong enough of a word to describe how he really feels about guns, he can't help but be glad she's taking some kind of precaution, some form of protection in case he can't be there to help her.

So that he'll know she's a little safer.

Getting there isn't a problem and soon they're watching the building for any signs of activity. They've decided, and that means he's actually gotten his way for a few minutes, so he's going in first and she'll be standing watch until he let's her know it's safe.

Hopefully she'll wait until than but he doubts it. She's too stubborn to stay outside for long. Inside the only one there is Hardison, with a gun but that's not really a threat, and he's wondering if that means that it was Nate that screwed with them. But not long after Hardison points the gun at him Nate is walking in and he's got to wonder what all of this means.

Besides more trouble, anyway.

Together the two get the gun away from Hardison with very little effort and Nate asks him if he's armed; He just shakes his head no. "I Don't like guns." He tells the other man.

He'd never been fond of them but after pulling out a bullet out of Parker he has a whole new view on them, and fond isn't in the vocab.

Besides, he doesn't need a gun for two reasons. He'd bet he's faster than whichever one of them that would try to shoot him - if they even tried since neither really seemed like they were about to shoot him. Which could change but for the moment seemed likely.

Number 2 though, was because Parker had a gun and was right behind them. He'd told her to wait until he knew it was safe but she had never been the patient type and seeing Nate enter would have been enough to get her to enter as well.

He glances at her over Nate's shoulder right before she cocks the gun and announces herself to the others. She's right on time.

They exchange glances as she comes to a stop by him and Nate tries to calm her down. But he has common sense because he knows better than to try to take her gun away from her and is just happy when she lowers it.

Nate starts working it out and then starts to laugh, which makes them slightly uncomfortable and he has a feeling that they aren't going to like what he has to say.

Then Nate tells them and they're running and then there is an explosion.

* * *

Later when they're all awake after the explosion and find themselves handcuffed, processed, and under watch they start to get really irritated.

Parker can hear when Eliot says he can take the cops and makes her opinion clear.

"Don't you dare, you kill anyone you screw up my getaway." She says loud enough for them to hear.

It would screw everything up. He'd have their injuries or deaths on his record since they got his prints and they hunted people who hurt cops. It'd make things harder for both of them, and he disliked killing people who didn't deserve it. She could get them out, she just had to think of the how first.

Before she can start to figure out a plan Nate is talking, telling them that they can do this, how he knows them and if they work together they can all get out of here.

"I don't trust these guys." Parker says, knowing they'll all think she's talking to Nate when it's really Eliot she's saying it to.

While Nate waits for an answer after he asks her if she trusts him, Eliot answers both of their questions.

"Of course, you're an honest man." Eliot says, softly but loud enough. He knows that Parker's heard him and knows that he's telling her that they should do what Nate says, at least for the moment.

Everyone makes a face when they hear her force herself to throw up though.

* * *

After they decide not to run, but to get revenge and their money it all goes kind of fast. They get together to get their 'Sophie' and really don't like what they see when they first see her act. Awful is too nice of a word for her acting skills but Nate doesn't listen to their protests and suddenly she's in.

They spend the next few days figuring out what exactly they're going to do and doing it. He dresses up like a Hardison wannabe and gets a few digs in, all in fun, mostly. He's flirting with the secretary while Parker does her job and he's slightly surprised by how not jealous she is. It isn't the first time that he's had to flirt right in front of her and he's sure he'll have to do it again and again but it honestly doesn't seem to bother her if it's just for a job.

He doesn't flirt when it isn't a job or a con though and maybe that's the difference. Later that night as they're wrapped around each other he asks her why.

"Because your not serious about it," She tells him then leaves him wondering what her meaning was.

He's half asleep before he realizes what she means. If he flirts with someone else there is a reason behind it and it isn't because he enjoys it or because he wants to. Flirting is a slight part of his personality and an even bigger part of his defense system when it comes to women. most of the time he flirts with a woman is because someone expects him to or because he needs to distract them or get his way. But he hardly ever means it, and it looks like Parker had figured that out a long time ago. It's just another part of the job.

He pulls her closer to him as she sleeps and just mumbles to her when her eyes crack open before they both fall asleep.

Then it comes the day that everything has fallen into place and it's time to take their revenge.

Everything goes to plan, surprisingly.

Maybe even a little better.

* * *

"Somebody kiss this man so I don't have to." Eliot said as they all tried to get over the shock of how much money they had just made.

"So we're out huh? I mean we're out. This is retirement money. Go legit and buy an island money." Hardison asked and the four were brought back to the last time they had tried to walk away.

"Yeah, uh, pleasure working with you." Nate told them and they all felt it, each one of them feeling a little reluctant to just let go and quit. They'd had fun working together, got a bigger payload than ever before and got to nail the guy who screwed them over.

"Yeah, one show only, no encores." Eliot repeats his lines from the last time.

"I already forgot your names." Parker repeated her line, her and Eliot exchanging a slow look, both feeling a little off and knowing that the other did as well.

Nate is the first to leave, the one who breaks whatever hold their all feeling at the moment and they all walk away only to join back up separately, stating why they think sticking together could be alright, why pulling another job would be a good thing.

One by one they try until they get to Sophie and if they were unclear about the thing between the two before they aren't missing the vibes now. When she tells him he gets to pick the jobs and he tells her that it's going to be helping people they know they've won.

For now their sticking together as a group a little longer.

And for once that may just be okay.

As long as the others don't find out about the two of them.

* * *

Thank you for reading.

Please, review and tell me what you think so far.


	2. The Homecoming Job

The Homecoming Job

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

An - So I'm thinking that there were at least a couple months before they were all called back together. So that's how I have this, it's been at least 3 months.

* * *

They weren't together or even in the same city when they got the phone call from Hardison telling them that Nate had a job for them. They were both happy about being called back, even if neither one wanted to admit it to anyone else, they were honest enough or at least knew each other enough, that they knew the other one was looking forward to pulling the next job with the whole group.

"From the first job? I put all that money in a Swiss bank account." Parker said in response to Eliot's question as they rounded the corner of the hallway.

"Millions of dollars and you didn't buy anything." He asked her, knowing that it was what he should ask since he wasn't supposed to know what she did with her money. That and he wanted to see

"I don't like stuff, I like money." Parker said and gave him a small look.

While it was true she had put most of the money into her bank account she had taken out a small chunk of it for her own personal reasons. Which mostly had been to roll around in while naked in the middle of one of her safe houses. Eliot had come home early from a job though and what had been personal time had become something a little more fun. The memories of that night were one of her favorites. What more could she have asked for than Eliot, her, and money all together? Remembering it always put her in a good mood and made her smile.

But she snapped out of it before they gave anything away when Sophie started talking about what she did with her money. Trying to clear her head from the memories she couldn't help a small smile on her face as she nodded alone with what the other woman was saying. She had almost had it under control when Sophie asked Eliot what he had done with his money and heard him refuse to answer. Admitting what he had spent some of the money on was out of the question so he would have either had to lie or dodge the answer and he had chosen to simply not answer.

Still it was amusing and she had to wonder what Sophie's reaction would be if they were to tell her. Not that they ever would. While they might be beginning to trust the others with themselves there were few people alive they would trust with the knowledge of the two of them and so far no one in this group had gained that and really they weren't sure anyone ever would. They preferred it that no one knew, less chance of complications happening. Besides, if the others knew it might cause problems or change the way things went. It was best to keep them a secret and if they ever thought it'd be a good reason to share with the others than they would. But only if both of them agreed to it.

Walking into the place that they had been told to meet at they were confused about what it was they had just walked into. Then Hardison came out and started to explain things and handed them their phones and files.

Parker opened her file and started to read it as Hardison lead them down the hallway to point out things. At a glance she found it to be slightly creepily full of detail until she saw that she had won the sack race at a company picnic, and couldn't help but turn back and tell Eliot about it.

Turning back when Hardison pointed to what would be their offices she tuned back into what he was telling all of them. Something about a plant. But it was just too much, and way to confusing, she was going to need a moment. Feeling a little lost she stayed silent and didn't even comment when she heard that Nate had given away his share of the money. She needed to gather her bearings, and didn't want to even think about what giving up that kind of money would feel like.

Feeling better and having gotten it all straight in her head they walked into the room that Hardison seemed so proud of. They all told him they wanted the short version and were glad of that when they figured out that he didn't know what short meant. Who knows how long he would have taken with a longer version?

Then Nate was coming in and started to tell them about the job he had planned.

* * *

She's just gotten back from Washington, DC with Sophie and they've been given the night to rest up before reporting back to the Nate and others the next day. It's the first time in days they've actually been in the same place long enough to spend a couple of hours away from the others without attracting attention. So Parker and Eliot head to what they're calling home while they stay in Los Angeles, but they've both set up two different places so that if asked or if Hardison tries to track them they'll have some place that they'll be able to claim is theirs without letting anyone in on the truth.

The place they've found is perfect for the both of them, a little off the main path and slightly hidden but still in the city and alone enough they don't have to worry about neighbors. The basement is mostly Eliot's domain and they transformed it into something resembling a dojo and gym. The attic is purely Parker's though and Eliot's just a little afraid to go up there, not quite sure what he would find beside all her equipment that she needs for her jobs. But one of the main reasons they had bought it wasn't a normal looking house, it wasn't the picket fence type or the cold modern type. It was open and had a great bedroom and even better kitchen. All of which had made them bite the bullet and get the place.

They had a whole bunch of safe houses individually all over the place and more than a few that they shared but this had been the first time they had bought a house together and it had slightly unnerved them enough that they tended not to talk about it. It didn't mean that they had settled down, or even wanted to, because that wasn't going to happen anytime soon , but they had been together long enough to realize that they had been living together for quite sometime already without noticing and now they were just accepting it. Besides, if they were going to stay in one place for a length of time they might as well be comfortable. It didn't mean they couldn't leave it behind immediately if they needed to, and they both had their space with their 'fake' houses.

"I didn't know you could do that. You know, pick up what kind of weapon was used through sound, or identify what type of fighting style someone was using." Parker told him as she sat on the counter in the kitchen and watched him cook their dinner. It was the first time they've been completely alone since taking the job, so it's the first time she's felt comfortable bringing it up. Any other time they've been alone there was a chance the others were somewhere close by and they didn't want to take the chance of getting caught.

She was just stating the truth and seeing if he wanted to talk to her about it but she didn't really expect him to answer her, and honestly if he didn't feel like talking about it than she could understand. They both had subjects that they didn't like to talk about. Those subjects were purely volunteered information only, neither pushed it after the other said they didn't want to talk about it.

It showed how used to each other they were that he didn't pause or tense after hearing her question. At the beginning of their relationship, after they admitted to themselves and each other that yes they did in fact have a relationship, if a personal question had been asked of either of them they would have closed off slightly. Now neither one dodged the other one just because something was personal, if they didn't want to talk about it they simply said so.

"When it comes to weapons or fighting styles there's very little I don't know. It was a way of survival for a lot of years to learn everything I could. I had the advantage if I knew what was coming. It's not something I forgot." He told her, than turned and held out a piece of food for her to taste.

Parker opened her mouth for him to feed her and he smirked before blowing on the food and feeding her.

"Any other questions about how I know things?" He asked, amused.

"On that subject?" She shook her head and chewed. "Nope." She said, popping the 'p' sound after she swallowed. "Though you might want to hurry up, I'm hungry." She told him, grinning at him.

He rolled his eyes and threw his towel at her before turning back to the food.

Parker slipped down from the counter and came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his hips and resting her chin on his shoulder by his ears. He had pulled his hair back so he could cook and she used that to her advantage now as she nuzzled his head with her ear for a moment and rocked her hips against his three times suggestively, teasing him while he tried to concentrate.

"I could ask some questions about how you know things on other subjects though." She said and nipped his ear than danced out of reach when he turned to grab her.

"But you hate to have dinner interrupted so we'll have to wait until afterwards." She told him, hopping back onto the counter and crossing her legs Indian style. "I'll be good, promise." She told him with a slightly wicked and teasing grin.

"Figures." Eliot said with as sigh of disgust. "You choose now to listen to me." He told her, but turned back to the food. They were both hungry and would do better with a full meal in them before anything else. Besides, he did hate to be interrupted while cooking, but really there were something things that were worth it.

* * *

The next day has them figuring out what it is that Castleman has been hiding. They found out about the crate then located it and took a look inside only to be shocked at what was inside. She couldn't help herself though and had to hug the money as well as steal some too. They had to test to see if it was real but in reality there was no way she could make herself walk away from that much money without taking something.

Back at the office she's staring at the money and taking it in. She still can't believe that there is so much of it, just sitting back there, and it's all real. Hardison says it all checks out and Sophie is saying that it's got to be fake but she can feel it, it's real and tells them so. Eliot is smiling down at her but then snaps himself out of it and asks Nate if it's some kind of creepy contest between him and Hardison.

If it is, she really hopes that it continues. Money never get's old for her and lot's and lot's of it is even better.

But looking up at Eliot she gives him a look as she rubs the money over her cheek and then puts the money back and stares up at him. Before closing her eyes, torn between reliving memories and listening to the others. The others only win because she wants to know about the crate full of money and because she can't take the time to really appreciate the memory properly. That and nine billion has just snapped her attention to the conversation.

Then Nate tells them they're going to give the money back and she feels slightly sick.

* * *

By the end of it though everything works out how they want it too and the feeling they get when they give the money to the hospital makes up for them giving the money back. Mostly anyway. She knows that she'll have a few nightmares in the next few weeks but she'll get over it. Someday.

Still, there is a chance that there is a contest going on between Hardison and Nate and she'll get to see even more money but somehow she doubts it.

So now they've all agreed to do at least one or two more jobs but they all know that unless something goes horribly wrong they'll be doing more jobs than that. Especially if they have this good a feeling afterwards. Maybe being a good guy isn't all that horrible but they still break rules so she's a little confused about how good they're supposed to be.

Following the others she skips slightly to catch up with them.

"Serious though guys, what does a plant do?"

* * *

Please review and tell me what you think.


	3. The Two Horse Job

When Willy called him asking for help he knew that he was going to have to ask Nate and the others for help. Which wasn't something he really wanted to do since it would be bringing his present and his past together and that didn't seem like the wisest decision. But he didn't really have a choice. Willy was asking for his help and he owed it to him.

So he went to Nate and the two fly down to Kentucky to talk to Willy.

Then he saw Aimee, which was mostly bittersweet. There was history there but he was mostly over it. He had Parker now and she was more than enough for him. The only thing between Aimee and him were the what ifs, even if no one else believed that.

After hearing Nate tell Eliot that he couldn't let his emotions or feelings get in the way if they took this job, the others all asked what they meant by that. Nate tells them about how Eliot had a past with Willy's daughter Aimee right before they launch into the details of the job.

* * *

So later that night, when Eliot and Parker were at home and away from the others he isn't surprised when the subject of Aimee is brought up but he is put off balance by Parker's usually bluntness though he knows that he should have expected it.

"Do you love her?" Parker asks, eyes serious and head tilted to the side.

"Damnit Parker, no." He tells her.

"Are you sure or are you just saying what you think you have to say?"

"How I felt about Aimee is in the past, I was a whole different person then. I wonder sometimes what things would have been like if it had been different but they aren't and I made my choices a long time ago. Aimee is part of my past so she'll always mean something but she isn't who I want in my life." He explains to her.

She pushed him back from her slightly. "Don't look me in the eye, Sophie says that means a guy is a guy is lying." She tells him, only half serious.

"Parker-" He tried, running his hands through his hair.

Then she dropped her bomb. "I think you should sleep with her."

He choked. "What? Parker, you can't be serious."

"Just so you know for sure, because it's easy to say your sure or think you are but you wont know until you do. So sleep with her and than tell me how you feel."

"I'm not going to sleep with her, Parker."

"If you do, then I'll believe you. Besides that, if you don't do something Nate and the others are going to get suspicious if you don't. They all think, or at least Nate and Sophie do, that your going to sleep with her and if you don't they are going to wonder why not. Then they'll start watching you and they might notice something.

"I need you to be sure Eliot, I need to believe you. But I can't do that until I know that you've gotten all the past out of your system. So do it and then tell me that you don't have any feelings for her and I'll believe you." She told him.

He knows Parker isn't like normal people but this was something he couldn't have foreseen in a million years. His current girlfriend telling him to sleep with his past girlfriend all so she could be sure about how he feels.

"How can you ask me to have sex with someone else? How could you be okay with that?" He demanded knowing if the reverse were to happen he would not be that okay with things.

"Because wondering about it would be worse." She says. "If it's going to happen, I want to know now and not later."

And she wont listen to anything else he has to say for the rest of the night and the next morning they are surrounded by the others and boarding a plane so he doesn't get a chance to talk to her again.

* * *

Later on they're in the middle of the case and everything is snowballing on them. It went from being an easy job, to them having a problem. Sterling showing up and causing problems. Which isn't helping his mood at all. It was starting to seem like everything was falling apart on him. Parker wasn't ignoring him but she wasn't really talking to him either. She was convinced that he needed to have sex with Aimee to know for sure how he felt but he already knew, but she wasn't listening to him and tried to stay out of his way as much as possible to give him his space. That was driving him nuts.

Then there was Aimee herself who was irritating him. Her and her temper and the digs she got in every time she saw him. The others thought it was attraction that made him so defensive about her but that wasn't it. Sure he was attracted to her, he had been for years, but that didn't mean too much to him. He was attracted to a lot of people and he hardly ever acted on it, and certainly not in the past three years he'd been with Parker.

No, his problem with Aimee was mostly how she was treating him and that she was someone from his past, someone whose opinion had once mattered to him, and didn't think very much of him because of things she didn't know about, things he couldn't tell her. Aimee treated him like some low life jerk who ruined her life when it wasn't like that. He knew it was because she had been hurt, but she had moved on with her life, so why did she have to live in the past when it came to him?

Later on when he couldn't take it anymore he called her on it and confronted her.

One thing lead to another and things got out of control though. For just a few moments their mutual attraction for each other flared up like their tempers had, and they were back in the past and rolling around in one of the stalls, and all he could think about was that this couldn't possibly be okay with Parker, no matter how much she said it was, and afterwards, how much he had just screwed everything up.

Afterwards when he caught up with the others, his thoughts were going a mile a minute. Parker would know, she just would and he wasn't going to lie to her. She had told him to do it and lying about it would make things worse. So he was trying to decide what he was going to do and say to make things right with Parker while trying not to play with Aimee's feelings, when Sophie came up to him and started talking about Aimee.

Getting her to stop in the most polite way he could he told her that she didn't get to tell him about chasing the past. He added in a sweetheart so she would know he didn't mean to be rude or anything, just that she needed to stop.

Then they started planning out the newest part to this job, to make sure everything worked out.

* * *

She knows they slept together. Eliot and Aimee. It's obvious the next time that she sees him and she knows that it was necessary for multiple reasons but now she just wants to know what happens next.

She can't believe how much the waiting is killing her and she's realizing why she's never depended on anyone but herself since she first learned the lesson that people hurt you if you let them. She doesn't regret telling Eliot to sleep with Aimee. That had to be done, and if he decides to go back to his past love than it'll hurt but she'll know the truth and that's more important. She can't sit around wondering if he's torn up inside and only staying with her because he feels like he has to.

Eliot has a strict sense on inner rules he follows. They might be only a few but for him they're almost unbreakable, and if they ever became the reason he was with her instead of him just wanting to be with her, she's pretty sure that would break her, and she's already been broken enough.

If he chooses to stay with her though, because he wants to than she really regret them being together than either because it let her know the truth. Sex is sex, and it doesn't mean anything without the feelings behind it, and she understands that. So that isn't what's bothering her. It's the waiting and not knowing that's making her edgy.

Which isn't being helped by the fact that they're surrounded by horses.

* * *

When they're in the truck getting ready to horse-nap Kentucky Thunder, Parker is starting to realize that she's going to have to go in there. Still she asks Hardison if he can hack the lock. Then Eliot tells her that she's going to have to go in there and let them in.

"But there are horses in there." She told him. She wasn't afraid of very many things and he knew that, so she didn't want him to push this. But he does and she goes along with it, because he's asking her to, and he's Eliot.

He feels horrible when he asks her to go in there. Asks her to do it because he needs her to do it. They haven't had a chance to talk yet, for him to tell her what he's feeling and he's still asking her to do something she doesn't want to do. She's afraid, but she's the only one who can do get in there and they need this to happen or they'll all be busted and the plan will never work and Willy will be screwed.

She's crawling through the air duct and ranting to herself and he thinks it's slightly cute but he knows she's forgotten that they can hear her. So he tells her that they can still hear her, just so she is reminded and so she wont start venting about him and their problems next. Hardison is already laughing in the backseat and he doesn't need a bigger excuse to hurt him.

When she tells them she's found Kentucky Thunder he can tell by her voice how afraid she is and it makes him grit his teeth. He hates that she has to do this. She's not afraid of very much and he hates that he's responsible for the fear he's hearing but they can't help it. Hopefully later he'll get the chance to make it up to her.

After a moment though and she isn't saying anything he can't help but snap at her. They are working on a time limit and he's worried about her. She's in there with a horse and she's afraid. Snapping at her will get an answer out of her and get her to focus on something else. Like letting him know that she's alright and it'll get her to open the door.

* * *

When it's over and Willy and Nate leave him and Aimee alone he's looking down at her and thinking about how to make things go smoothly. He can't be the what she wants, the boy he used to be. A man that isn't who he really is, and he doesn't want to even try to be that person.

So he kisses Aimee one last time, a final goodbye and closure on his past and any might-have-been's he'd had at one point. He doesn't regret his past anymore. It had to be done and it shaped who he is now. Some things he would take back if he could, and there were memories he could live without but now he knows that he's okay with how things have turned out for him.

Aimee's wrong though. The others aren't his family, not yet. Maybe someday they will be but for now only Parker is that close to him.

He's really hoping that hasn't been screwed up.

* * *

They're back from Kentucky now, and away from the others. Everyone was tired so they all agreed to meet up tomorrow to discuss what was next. But right now everyone had gone their separate ways and they went back to their home. Eliot isn't religious but right now he's praying that it's still their home and he knows that he needs to make his feelings clear to her.

They're standing in the area by their bedroom, both a little hesitant with each other because they haven't had a chance to talk in private since this all began. Parker is staring at him, waiting for him to say something and Eliot takes a breath, feeling a little overwhelmed but knowing that it's now or never, and loosing Parker isn't something he wants to happen. So he opens his mouth and starts talking, letting his thoughts spill out and hopes for the best.

"I did what you asked, even if I think your mental for asking for me to do it, or that you can't possibly be okay with it. But I did it, and you were right, maybe I wouldn't have known exactly how I felt if I hadn't but I do now. I don't love Aimee, not anymore, not in the same way I once did. I may have in the past but I was a different person than. It means that she'll be special to me but she's not who I think of all the time.

"When I see someone doing something crazy I think about how you've already done it, or that you wouldn't be afraid to try it. If I think of something funny I want to share it with you, or if something is pissing me off I want to tell you about it. When I'm hurt the only person I trust to be around me is you, just like you're the only person I tell about my past. I'd never want that with Aimee and I couldn't do this - have a house with her. I want you Parker, no one else, and I'm kind of hoping your alright with that." He tells her and waits for her response.

"Well it's not like I want anyone else." Parker told him, smiling slightly at him.

He couldn't help the sigh that goes through him. She believed him, and she still wanted him, didn't want to end what they had. His whole body relaxes in relief and he can breath again.

"Good." He tells her and pulls her to him gently. From there he rests his forehead against hers and closes his eyes. "That's real good darlin'."

Parker nods against him than kisses him as she pulls his t-shirt away from his jeans and starts to unbutton it.

"Show me how good?" Parker asks as she pulls him backwards and into their room.

"Sure you can handle it?" He teases as he tosses her shirt away, thanking the God he's not sure he believes in that she isn't wearing a bra.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure." She tells him and than laughs as they fall onto their bed.

They don't get very much sleep, but they're okay with that.

* * *

Please Review!!


	4. The Miracle Job

The Miracle Job

AyLee Cambell

Not beta'd (sorry!)

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and been waiting for the next chapter.

Okay, this one was difficult for me to do. My muse was hiding or something and the only time she'd say anything to me was when I was in the shower or sleeping. Those are pretty hard times to write something down. Though it is interesting to be in a half sleep state and go through a couple paragraphs in your head. But than I'd get up or out of the shower and try to write it down and I couldn't get motivated. So I've tried writing this three times by now and I keep starting over. So this is it, and I'm sorry if it's not very good, I'll try to make it up to everyone with the next chapter. But as an excuse this one was difficult because it just doesn't have very much Parker/Eliot and I almost wanted to skip it (since I kept getting other ideas for the next couple episodes and not for this one) but I decided not too. So hopefully you all will enjoy this. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks!

It's a little shorter than normal but I'll try to make the next one longer to make up for it.

* * *

There are a few of you that I can't get back to any other way so I'll do it here:

Cece - Eliot spent some of his money - cause he didn't spend it all - on a few things. Family that you don't really know about, but mostly the house and stuff in the house that him and Parker live in, and a few other places around the world. Most of it is in the bank but since what he spent some of his money on involves Parker and their relationship he can't say so.

Stormchild03 - Thank you!

* * *

"That was horrible. Like nightmares for the next week and badly done horror movie horrible." Parker said as they entered their house. "Why did we say we would go? We should have known better than to agree to see one of Sophie's plays after the first time we saw her."

"We were trying to be nice and do the whole team bonding thing darlin'." Eliot said as he came in behind her. "Next time though, let's make sure we know exactly what everyone has planned first before we agree."

"Just remember to be nice when if she asks you about it tomorrow." Eliot told her as they headed towards the kitchen. They had eaten out earlier but both we're kind of thirsty.

Eliot grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and tossed Parker one of the bottles of juice before he sat down on one of the stools around the one of the counters.

"Nice will be difficult." Parker told him as she grabbed something from the cabinets to snack on. She wasn't really hungry but she still wanted something else. "Though I suppose if you don't focus on just how bad that really was, it could be kind of funny in a horrifying way." Parker said and shrugged.

Eliot shook his head. "That was two to three hours of time I'll never get back or be able to burn out of my memory. Those images may be with me for the rest of my life."

"So focus on something else and try not to think about it." Parker told him, smirking slightly.

Eliot glared half heartedly. "Some things you just can't forget, no matter how hard you try." He tells her.

"Poor baby." Parker teases and backs up when Eliot stands up. "No! Stay back. Don't make me say it, I'll say it." She threatens as he starts heading toward her slowly, planning on getting revenge for her comments.

"Say what?" He asks, stepping closer. She goes to dodge him but he catches her after a couple close calls. Throwing her over his shoulder he heads to their room. It's getting late and they were both tired and they had to be up early the next morning. He ignores Parker's shrieking and laughter until they reach their room and he puts her down.

"So what was it you were threatening me with?" He asks as heads to the bathroom so he can brush his teeth. Parker follows him in, trying to keep from smiling.

"Wait, hold on I've got to get this right." She pauses for a moment than looks at him, screws up her face, and says in a slightly creepy voice. "Attention must be paid."

"Oh did you really have to?" He asks, looking at her in disgust. He'd just gotten it out of his mind.

Parker shrugged and moved to the sink. "Told you I would."

"Not funny." He told her and picked up his toothbrush.

It really was kind of funny though. Not the play, but the way Parker had said it. Hiding a slight smile he started to brush his teeth and think. He had no idea what he was going to say to Sophie the next day, though he already knew he was going to have to lie. The truth wasn't really an option.

* * *

The next job that they all took happened to involve a friend of Nate's. He was a priest at a church that was about to be sold and they were going to try to stop that from happening. The sale would be final in a few days though so they had very little time to pull this one off but they were going to try to do it. At first it didn't look like they would be able to but than they made their own miracle and ended up getting a real one for the priest and church. In the end they won, the church stayed open, and Andrew Grant was in jail.

All in all, not a bad job done.

There were only a few things, okay probably really just one thing, that bothered Eliot about the whole thing. The whole church thing didn't bother him too much, even if the Vatican did get involved. But nothing went wrong so he couldn't be too bothered by it. No what really got to him was that at the end of the job Parker finally asked him what the real differences between Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas were since Sophie said they weren't the same. He hadn't expected that she'd actually thought it was Santa, thought maybe she had been teasing or annoying them on purpose with that until she explained why she thought he had been Santa.

Parker's childhood hadn't been a good one and the more she told him the less and less he liked what he'd heard and what she's had to go through. But what he liked even less was that she was genuinely confused about the Santa issue. Parker knew the basics to Santa Claus, like Christmas and presents, that his name was Saint Nicholas, but she didn't necessarily get the rest. No one had bothered to take the time out to tell her that there was a difference between the kind of "Saint" Santa Claus was and the Saint that was in a church.

In her mind, since Santa Claus name was Saint Nicholas and the church had a Saint Nicholas, they had to be the same one. So afterwards when she'd come to him confused on it he'd explained the whole thing. When he asked her why she never found out more on her own before she just told him that it hadn't seemed important and that she had known the basic information that she needed until now.

So now her confusing the two irritated him for an entirely different reason, but one he couldn't do very much about. Though he did tell her she could come to him if she ever had any other questions, she didn't have to wait until someone confused her enough to ask. She just nodded and left and he had to wonder about it. He knew she wasn't stupid, that wasn't the issue to any lack of knowledge. Parker was smart and knew how to do a bunch of different things that many other people couldn't even begin to do. She was more than just good at math and science and things like that, but sometimes when it came to people or popular things of interest she was somewhat less knowledgeable. Probably because she didn't feel comfortable around people.

Thing was with Parker, if she didn't think it was important than chances were that she didn't bother. If she had thought she knew everything she needed to know about Santa Claus she wouldn't have bothered to look into learning more about him and if no one else told her than she really wouldn't know the difference between the Saint at the church and the man who gave presents away at Christmas.

He really hates how her childhood was for her, and how it's effected her. But there isn't very much he can do about it now, and that makes him irritated too.

* * *

When they get home they're both wide awake but not in the mood to really do anything. It's a somewhat rare mood for Parker, who usually doesn't like to sit still for too long, but instead of sparring or cooking they decide to take some time to relax together. Which means that they eventually find themselves laying on the couch together reading. It's a big couch though and their both comfortable, Parker laying more on Eliot's side than on him and he has one arm around her that he uses to change the pages and the other is holding his book up.

Parker doesn't like to sit down and read too often. Sure she likes learning things or finding out the history about some of her favorite artifacts but every now and then she'll read for fun. Right now she's reading one of her favorite books by Donald E. Westlake while Eliot's reading a book on psychology.

She knows that not many people would believe either of them to be the type who likes to read, most really wouldn't see Eliot as a person who likes to learn whatever he can, choosing instead to assume that he only knows how to bash people's heads in. He's a little defensive about it sometimes, choosing to hide it because he starts to get strange looks when he knows something everyone else thinks he shouldn't.

Which just tells you that you really don't know too much about a person just because you think you do, or because of what they do for a living. Or like the fact that most people thought she was slightly crazy but didn't know that she could do math in her head that most people required calculators for.

So far no one on the team had gotten a good enough look at who they really were to tell that there might be more to them than they thought. So for now they knew that their secret was staying a secret. The others didn't expect it, so they didn't see it. But who knows if that would change soon or not. They were all getting closer, getting to know each other better, and spending more time together. They were bound to make some mistakes and who knew if anyone would notice or not. For now they were content with keeping it from the others, and acting like they didn't care about each other that way. It was a little frustrating sometimes but something they were dealing with.

Sometimes they wanted to come right out and say something about the two of them but most of the time they were more cautious than that. If the others knew that could mean problems for the two of them. Would the others trust them to work together, would it become dangerous for them to know, or things like that. Right now though, they were going to relax and keep it a secret. It was better that way.

* * *


	5. The Bank Shot Job

The Bank Shot Job

By: AyLee Cambell

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

They had just gotten out of the shower and made it back to the bed when they heard someone knocking.

"Eliot?" Hardison asks through the door.

Eliot groans and rolls over to glare at the door and the person he knows is standing behind it. He's irritated. He and Parker have barely had a few minutes together that they haven't had to pretend there is nothing going on between them and even less time together in private so he's more than a little irritated to be interrupted now when he's finally getting to spend some time with her away from the others and without them knowing about it.

"What?" He growls out, loud enough for the other man to hear him.

Parker is smirking or grinning into his chest, he doesn't know which, and starts to run her fingers down his sides, feeling playful.

Looking down at her he smirks as he catches her hands and holds them over her head with one of his hands. Leaning down he kisses her, forgetting about Hardison standing in the hallway, and runs his other hand down her side. Pulling back he stares down at her, aware his face is softening into that look that only Parker can get out of him. She staring up at him with a soft smile on her face and he's about to kiss her again when Hardison starts knocking again, only louder and harder.

"Eliot? Hey man!"

Growling he gets up and points Parker to the bathroom than grabs a towel that they had abandoned on the floor. Wrapping it around his waist he brushes his still wet hair back and makes sure that nothing in the room says there's been anyone but him there. Parker is hiding and anything incriminating is out of sight so he opens the door a little.

"What?" He barks out, demanding.

"Whoa hey man sorry. Didn't know you were busy." Hardison says as he gets a look at his friend.

"Well now you do." Eliot tells him and goes to shut the door in his face but he stops him.

"Whoa, hold up. Just gotta ask you something than I'll leave you alone."

"Make it quick Hardison."

"Have you seen Parker anywhere? I tried her room and she's not in there or not answering and Sophie hasn't seen her either." Hardison asks him.

Eliot stares at him.

"Does it look like I know where she's at Hardison? How should I know where she's at? She could have took a run or something for all I know." He told him.

"Jeeze, look I was just asking."

"Does it look like she's in here?" Eliot asked, opening the door a little wider so the other man could see inside. "No? Good. Anything else you needed?"

"Nah man that was it. Sorry I bothered you. I'll let you get back to blow drying your hair or whatever other important things you were doing." Hardison told him sarcastically and turned and walked away.

"Bite my head off, I was only asking a question." Hardison said as he walked away.

"I can still hear you." Eliot said to his back before slamming the door shut and shaking his head.

Parker came out of the bathroom and looked at him. "That probably means that I should get back before I have to explain to everyone where I've been." She told him and went over to the dresser to pull out her clothes so she could get dressed.

Eliot groaned leaning back against the door and letting his head smack back against the wood slightly.

"Stupid Hardison." He grumbled as he watched her get into her clothes. After a moment he pushed away from the door and grabbed some of his own clothes and started to dress. If she was leaving there really wasn't a point to walking around in a towel or less.

"Come on, it's not so bad. We're almost done and then we'll be back home and we'll finally have some time alone." She told him, coming up to him and leaning against him.

"Promise?" He asked her and smirked slightly at what he was already imagining.

"Promise. We'll take a few days just for us." She told him.

"Fine." He told her, no longer wanting to pummel Hardison as much as he had a minute ago.

"Today is supposed to be our last day anyway." Parker said and headed to the door.

"Good. Fun as this has been it'll be good to be home." He said and opened the door, Parker hiding out of sight. He made sure the coast was clear before he kissed her briefly and let her go.

* * *

Later on when Hardison asks her where she was she just shrugs. He argues in his head for a moment, his inner struggle obvious, before he decides that he doesn't want to know. Parker grins at this. There were advantages to being the "crazy" member of the group. Not that she wasn't slightly crazy, but the others were too, she was just the most obvious one with her crazy and didn't try to hide it.

They get in the van and drive to the bank and wait. While they are in there they start getting rid of the evidence from the past two weeks and get ready to make a fast exit.

But then everything starts going wrong.

Acting as an FBI agent isn't as bad as she thought it would be. It was slightly fun fooling them all and Hardison was easy to take cues from and seemed to know what he was doing so it wasn't a horrible performance from her.

The others thought that she couldn't act, which wasn't exactly true. She could act when she was doing a job, like a nurse or construction worker or waitress, as long as she didn't have to play a whole new identity, or unless something unexpected came up and she was unprepared with how to deal with it, especially if that something unexpected involves interacting with other people. But luckily for everyone it wasn't difficult this time and she didn't make any mistakes besides the time she told her story and said she took out the guard instead of saying it was the gunman.

Still the hole job was more interesting than dangerous until the judge found out that his money was missing and started jumping to conclusions, only half of which were close to being right. This lead to Nate getting shot, Sophie blowing their cover, them worrying over the two being held hostage by a slightly psycho judge who now had a gun, Hardison complaining about his microphones, Eliot kicking the crap out of some meth heads, and some tricks to get them all out of trouble and out of there with the judge taking the fall for everything.

Later on when they've found a place to dump the vehicles they are no longer using and have all taken their showers and grabbed their things they are all ready to get out of there. They weren't really staying in a hotel in Juan but one of the small towns nearby so they wouldn't be recognized as someone other than what they had been pretending to be so it's okay to take a small amount of time to get out of there instead of running out as soon as possible like they did at the bank.

They had two rental cars. Sophie and Nate are going in one, Sophie is driving while Nate is sleeping in the backseat, and the three of them, Hardison, Eliot, and her are going in the other car. Eliot is driving and Hardison is on his computer in the passenger seat leaving her laying across the backseat and staring up at the car's roof.

Hardison is booking their return tickets so she can't bother him and Eliot is driving and Hardison is in the car so she can't bother him and she's bored. She doesn't want to sleep though so she pulls the car's divider open to look in the trunk of the car and grabs her bag. She's pretty sure she has something in there that will keep her occupied.

Sophie and Nate are meeting up with them at the airport and they'll all end up flying back together. In the meantime though the airport is a little over an hour away so she's got some time to kill and she grins as she see's something in her bag that will occupy her for a little while.

* * *

Eliot is trying to concentrate on driving without letting his attention wonder. All and all the day hadn't been a bad one. There were a few moments that were close calls but nothing too horrible and everything worked out in the end so he didn't dwell on it.

What was really catching his attention though was the way Parker was grinning and laughing every now and then as she flipped pages of her book. The book was something he knew had the capabilities to keep her occupied for a long time. Not because it was that interesting to anyone else but because it was a book of museums and gave pictures of the general layouts because of some architectural reasons.

Parker loved looking through the damn thing when she was bored, just so she could use it to figure out the best ways in and out that she could see or knew to be there from personal experience. It was nothing more than a way to keep herself busy yet for her it never got old. For some reason he found that cute about her.

He had to hide his slight smile when Hardison looked up from his computer when Parker laughed again, a low and slightly evil laugh and he knew she had come up with another strategy for the page she was looking at. Hardison didn't know why she was laughing though and looked slightly worried, confused and curious at the sound, and maybe a little scared too.

Both of them exchanged looks, Hardison wordlessly asking him a question. He shook his head, telling Hardison that no, he did not want to go there or even try to go there and for once Hardison actually listened instead of trying to get into it and understand Parker.

As if that could ever happen. He'd been dating her for over three years and he still didn't always understand her. So he didn't think Hardison ever could. Never mind that in this instance he actually understood what Parker was thinking. He wasn't going to explain it.

"Take the next left, then we'll only have about ten minutes before we're there." Hardison says, cutting into his thoughts and he comes back to the present. He switches lanes and turns his turn signal on and takes the exit.

Not too long after that they are at the airport all getting something to eat and preparing for the flight home.

* * *

"Oh that felt good. It was just what I needed today." Parker told Eliot, smiling at him as they finished for the day and she stretched a little, her body tired and sore but in a almost pleasant way.

"You did pretty good today." Eliot tells her as he stretches and she smiles at him.

They are both sweaty and tired but it's a good feeling, something only a good work out can leave you feeling. It's been two days since they've gotten back from Juan and today has been the first day that they've spent entirely together.

Now they've just finished working out and sparring together. Eliot likes to teach her how to fight so that if she ever gets put in a dangerous or difficult situation that warrants violence she knows what to do. She also knows he thinks it's hot that she now knows how to fight, or can flip him when she feels like it.

But she doesn't mind the workout. It's a way to understand what the limits to her body are and in her world that's something very important. But the fighting skills have come in handy a few times already, and she enjoys getting past Eliot's guard every now and than too.

"Just pretty good?" She teases, grabbing a water bottle and passing him his, along with his little towel for sweat.

"Pretty damn good." He amended with a smile before he took a drink. "Soon you wont even have to think about what to do next it'll just come naturally."

"Can't wait for that." Parker jokes but she's happy about how much progress she seems to be making. She may not be the fighter that Eliot is, but she's no slouch and she's learning more and more all the time. She's glad now that he insisted on teaching her how to fight even if at the beginning she wasn't quite sure about it. She likes knowing that she can take care of herself and she knows that it makes him feel a lot better knowing that she can hold her own in a fight.

"So what's for dinner?" She asks as she lays down on the floor.

Eliot laughs as he comes to stand over her and looks down. "Come on, a walk first, than we'll talk dinner."

He tells her as he holds out a hand. Parker takes it and lets him pull her up. They always take a walk afterwards so that they can cool down a little. After that if they had time they usually ate something. Either going out, ordering in, or if he felt like it he would cook something. Most times he cooked unless they didn't have the time or were in the mood for something else. But tonight he didn't mind cooking, it let him relax a little and he enjoyed it.

"I was thinking Dijon chicken, asparagus, and rice for dinner. That sound alright?" He questioned as they stepped outside for a quick walk around.

"Ooh, sounds great." Parker said and slid up close to him and wrapping an arm around his waist. He grinned at her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Great. You pick dessert than darlin' ."

* * *


	6. The Wedding Job

So after much debate I decided that at least for now I was not going to re-write the stork job, so I'm skipping straight to the wedding job.

* * *

Eliot growled.

Parker muttered something.

Neither moved, just stayed exactly where they were.

"When does that thing turn off?" Eliot asked, trying not to let his temper show. Last thing he needed was for Parker to think he was irritated at her instead of her gadgets.

"Give it another minute and it'll be safe to move." She told him, trying not to wince.

Putting motion detectors throughout the house may have seemed like a good idea, but trying to tie in a alarm system so far hadn't been. She had been in the middle of working all of it out when the things had gone off and she couldn't do anything about it for another few minutes. But she had hardly expected Eliot to try to sneak attack her while she was in the middle of programming the little buggers.

He had learned his lesson when the shrill alarm had gone off and hadn't stopped until they stopped moving. Now they were both waiting for the time she had programmed into them to go off so that she could get across the room to turn the system off.

If either of them moved before that the system would lock them out until they went motionless again.

If nothing else, it would teach Eliot not to try anything while she was in the middle of one of her 'experiments' and it also taught her that she should probably keep stuff like that up in the attic until she was absolutely sure it was ready to come downstairs.

Counting the time in her head she looked at Eliot. "It should be good now."

"Now?" He asked and she nodded.

Neither of them moved.

"Maybe we should wait a minute. I still can't hear very well, I don't need those things to go off again." He said.

"Well, if anyone tries to sneak in we'll know about it." Parker said, trying to joke. She was going to have to turn the alarms down a little, and she was really glad that they didn't have neighbors close enough by to hear or they might have had to deal with the police.

"Darlin' the whole city will know about it." Eliot drawled out and she pouted.

It was loud, but it hadn't been quite that loud. Sighing she took a deep breath and rolled over. Both of them froze for a moment but relaxed when nothing went off.

Eliot stood up and held a hand down to help her up. Once they were both standing they paused for a moment, both thinking that this is when it usually goes back off again but nothing happened.

Parker grinned and smacked him on the ass. "Alright I'm going to turn this off all the way and work on it for a little longer. Don't interrupt me this time." She warned, wagging a finger at him.

Eliot smirked at her, and leaned down to nip at the finger before pulling her to him.

"I wont, trust me, I wont. But try to be done by two, Sophie wants us in for a meeting around three. She left a message on your cell a few minutes before she called me, which is what I came to tell you." He said and kissed her quickly before letting her go.

He knew she wouldn't be happy if he sidetracked her from what she was working on. And he really didn't want to live with the alarms unless he had to, or unless they were working properly. Besides, a irritated Parker was an irritated Eliot.

First because he didn't like it when she was mad, irritated, sad, or hurt. Second because she had a habit of going through the house and pulling out all his hidden weapons from places and leaving them in one big pile in the living room, which just irritated him.

He never told her where he hid them, she just always knew and most of the time she would leave them alone. But if he did something to make her irritated he'd know because he'd come home to find them all either in piles out in the open, or one time when he'd really made her pissed, hidden in places he hadn't put them in and he couldn't find them no matter how hard he looked.

He had to apologize for a week straight before she showed him where everything was and, to his chagrin, every single item had been in the house. He had started to think she had just taken them to a storage or something when she proved him wrong.

Parker nodded and turned back to what she'd been working on. She wanted another kiss, but she knew better than to take one. She needed to get this done and fixed before they left.

"I'll remind you in a little bit." Eliot tells her before leaving the room and heading towards the basement. He can get in a good workout before he had see if she was done. If she was, there was no reason they couldn't share a shower before they had to leave.

* * *

As it turned out, Sophie had called them all in because she had a client that she wanted to help, but she hadn't gone through Nate before bringing the said client in. Nate had been the last one in to the building, and the last to know.

And Nate, control freak that he is, hadn't liked any of that one little bit. (Though to be fair, that quality of Nate's had saved their asses quite a few times.) But eventually they had talked as a group and decided to take the job. That might be simplifying what actually happened but they finally agreed on the job and that was what was important.

So they were going to pull a job on a mob boss, in their own city. They just had to make sure he never found out who they really were. If he did, they were in some trouble. Not that that had ever stopped them from doing anything before.

This job was a little more difficult than normal though. They couldn't get their own surveillance so they had to get the FBI's. Only problem with that was they didn't have very much and hardly any of it was useful. The only thing that they could really use was the wedding and so they used that for their way in.

* * *

Everything was going fine, maybe even good. They had the freedom to explore and search the whole place and no one was stopping them or even looking at them like they were strange. Well except for Nate, but since he was a priest no one was going to question him. Everything was going good though, until they saw some of the guests.

Nate demanded that they have a group meeting and Sophie and Eliot were the last one's there so Parker and Hardison got to know who exactly was there and what the problem was for them. The Butcher of Kiev was there, and he would recognize Eliot, which was a huge problem. As soon as Parker heard who it was she made sure her face was blank and didn't show any of her inner turmoil. She didn't want anyone knowing what she was currently feeling.

She didn't want to just stand there calmly, like she wasn't too worried about the situation. It took everything in her to calmly and seem slightly bored and detached when she told Eliot the Butcher was there, to let Hardison and the others start to discuss it and argue amongst themselves. Instead her and Eliot stayed out of it and exchanged glances while the others weren't paying attention.

But it took even more effort not to scream when he didn't seem to get it, when he wasn't opposed to staying. He just went along with it and he wasn't freaking out. Not like she was, and she wanted to cart him out of there but the others might find that strange and she couldn't do that. He'd fight her, not that he hadn't tried to do the same a time or two, but he'd do whatever he had to so the job was completed.

But the Butcher was there, and it was a big problem. He would be after Eliot the moment he saw him and that made her stomach clench in fear. She knew Eliot could take care of himself, but the Butcher wasn't like the normal guys he went against, and the Butcher had a grudge against him, one that would make him more determined to kill him.

She wanted to get out of there now. For a minute, when Nate had realized how big of a problem it was she thought they would actually be leaving. Only that plan was flawed.

Sophie was refusing to go, saying she wanted to help her friend and the bride but all Parker wanted to do was to pull her out, by the hair if she had to, but that would be hard to explain, even for her. Normally she liked Sophie, she really did, but at the moment the other woman was having a meltdown and loosing it, and not in a good or fun way. She was putting them in danger, and putting Eliot in danger wasn't a good thing. Hence the hair pulling urges.

But now, because of Sophie's breakdown they had to stay and finish the job, just because they were a team and they had a job to finish. Her fingers were starting to itch, but she didn't have any rubber bands to make the feeling stop. Her fingers only started itching when she was irritated, nervous, or couldn't sit still any more.

So since they were staying, they were ordered to search everywhere and try to do this fast. They had to get out of there before anything happened. So they split up and Parker went searching. She looked everywhere possible, but she wasn't finding anything.

Well, she wasn't finding the money. She'd found a few pieces of jewelry that she had slipped into the maid of honor's change of clothes. Another way to say she was sorry. Not that the woman would ever know it was her that did it, but still, it was the thought that counted. Or something like that.

Parker did keep the diamond broach though. She wasn't that sorry.

But soon she had checked everywhere in the house but the screening room. She would have to try to convince Eliot to take that one, since she didn't think the Butcher would go looking in there and Eliot was more noticeable in the kitchen. She had a feeling he wouldn't go though. Sometimes he really got to focused on cooking to do anything else. One of the reasons she wanted him to go check the room, that way he wouldn't be too involved in cooking to ignore his surroundings.

She wasn't sure that he'd tune out everything but she knew that he got to involved sometimes to pay as much attention as he should. She had snuck up on him quite a few times when he was cooking, but she wasn't sure if that was because he was in a 'safe' environment at the time or because he didn't view her as a threat so his inner warning system didn't alarm him about her.

Still, she didn't want to risk it. So she would try to get him away from the kitchen. She was pretty sure it wouldn't work though.

And it didn't. He seemed insulted at the idea that she suggested he leave his food in the middle of cooking. So instead of pushing the issue she let it go, knowing he'd be even more insulted if he thought she was worried he couldn't handle himself.

She knew he could, she just couldn't help but worry.

* * *

After they were back at the office, everyone started to relax a little. The money they had taken from the off shore accounts were safe in some of their accounts and they were getting to work. They had a building to buy and redecorate into what the restaurant used to look like it when it was owned by Sophie's friends.

Sophie had a few photo's of what the place used to look like so they all went on different shopping adventures trying to get everything they needed to make their plan work.

Eliot went shopping for cooking tools and food and ingredients they would need. Not too much, but enough to get started.

Hardison went to get the sign back, and all the lights that went with it.

Nate was sent to get silverware, dishes, and tables, while Parker and Sophie went for the tablecloths, candles, blinds, and any other decorations they thought they needed.

Amazingly enough they were able to pull it off and Sophie was sent to get Theresa while the others set it up and Eliot started cooking.

Seeing the look on Theresa's face made all the hard work worth it. The work on the restaurant that is. Nothing was worth the risk to Eliot like earlier had been. Still, everything had gone well and Eliot had beaten the Butcher so all was okay. She hated to worry though, and it hadn't been fun for her. She was just glad that everything worked out.

But now, now it was time to eat.

* * *

Later on that night when Parker and Eliot were laying together in their bed, Eliot asked her a question.

"You were meeting the DJ for sex?" He questioned, running his fingers over her skin, mostly down her back as she was laying partially on his chest. "The DJ?"

Parker shrugged against him. "I knew I was going to have to say something about why I was hiding and that kind of thing is usually what happens at a wedding right? Besides, I was being recorded, I didn't want the others to hear that I said you, and I didn't want to draw attention to you cause you were so close by. Hardison seemed like the easiest choice to say." She told him.

"Still, that's just wrong darlin'. He's got a crush on you. What happens when he tries to make a move on you?" He asked, wanting to know. The guy was starting to grow on him and was becoming a good friend, but friendship or secrets aside, if the guy hit on Parker, he wasn't sure what his reaction would be. He'd have to figure out a valid reason to hit him without giving away their relationship.

Eliot sighed, he had time to think about it. Hardison wasn't there yet.

Parker looked at him. "I'll probably just ignore it until he stops. It usually works." She told him and Eliot smirked.

He did feel a little bad about the whole thing. Hardison didn't know that he didn't have a chance, didn't know Parker was already taken. So maybe he wouldn't hit him. But he still wouldn't be pleased if Hardison made a move. He would just have to think of something else to do to the young geek. Something that wasn't really horrible but still satisfying.

But that was for later. Right now he was going to make love to his woman again.

* * *

Please review!


	7. The Mile High Job

The Mile High Job

AN: sorry it took me so long to write another chapter. I bought the episodes off of iTunes when they first came out then put them on a DVD somewhere and was too lazy to go looking for them… so today I dug them out and started going through them since I really want to write the rest of this season and start on season 2. So here is this chapter, hope you enjoy it and hopefully I'll have a few more out soon. Thank you for your patience!

* * *

Getting into the building had been easy. Getting to the office they needed was a little more difficult.

"Target's on the thirtieth floor, you don't really expect us to-" Parker asked but stopped talking when Nate pushed open the doors to the stairs and started up.

Eliot and Parker exchanged a look and followed with a sigh.

The first ten to fifteen floors weren't so bad but by the twenty-third floor they were all walking slowly up the stairs, too tired to run.

"I got my workout earlier." Parker mumbled, complaining. She hadn't meant to be heard but both men turned their heads slightly to look at her.

Nate just shook it off and continued while Eliot threw her a small grin. He knew exactly what her workout had been, since he'd been the one "working out" with her.

By the twenty-seventh floor they were all getting ready to kill Hardison but none of them said it out loud. You could tell just from the looks on their faces.

When they reached the thirtieth floor though and saw the key lock Parker couldn't help it.

"I'm gonna kill him." Parker said.

"Not if I get to him first." Nate added and Parker looked at him for a moment.

She wasn't above making Eliot hold Nate back while she pummeled on Hardison. She'd leave the hacker alive, then Nate could do what ever he wanted. Hardison would have to hope she forgot her irritation with him by the time she saw him, or do something to make up for it. (Hopefully for Hardison the making it up part wouldn't annoy Eliot.)

Hardison not being there did mean that she got to blow something up.

So maybe she would let Nate get the first punch in.

* * *

Breaking into the office was easy. Looking for where he stashed the evidence they needed was a little harder.

Having the CEO walk in wasn't all that fun either, but getting out of his office and surprising Nate and Eliot was a little fun. Especially when she saw the looks on their faces and their reactions. She kept her face blank though and only smirked a little when she knew they couldn't see her.

Eliot still sometimes didn't know how she disappeared and reappeared and sometimes it drove him crazy. (Mostly when she snuck up on him)

But now they were trying to catch a plane so they could get the evidence they needed.

* * *

When Nate told her she was going to be playing an flight attendant she made sure she kept her face blank and made sure she didn't look at Eliot. This wasn't the first time she had ever acted like a flight attendant. This wasn't even the first time she had been a flight attendant while Eliot was a air marshal. (That had been a fun and interesting flight, and one of the reasons they couldn't fly that airline anymore.)

But none of the others needed to know that.

* * *

Eliot smirked at Parker as soon as he stood up from his "fall." The uniform she would have to wear was only slightly similar to the one she had worn that one time he had been on the flight with her. But it was similar enough to brink the memories back and they had been pretty good ones. Unfortunately though, this time there would be no time for any of that, and even if there was they wouldn't be able to do anything with Sophie and Nate on the same flight and Hardison in their ears.

(And didn't Hardison realize he'd been talking out loud while wearing his com when he went searching through Nate's computer? Idiot.)

Still this flight was bound to be interesting. He wanted to warn the others about Parker but he wasn't supposed to know so there was no way he could tell them that Parker like to have fun when playing a flight attendant. (When she could slightly freak people out or make them uncomfortable and they couldn't run away. She got a little thrill from pointing out the risks.)

So he knew it was coming but had to act like he didn't. So when her voice came over the intercom and he heard what she was saying he covered the lower half of his face and tried to look annoyed so now one would see the small smirk. That was his girl.

* * *

About an half and hour to an hour later and he was no longer in a good mood. The guy next to him was cuddled into his side and trying to use him as a pillow. He could hear Nate and Sophie's squabbles and he had just heard some guy try to hit on Parker. She blew off the guy though, saying she had to start taking drink orders.

With an hard shrug and an elbow, he jerked the guy off him and the idiot didn't even wake up, just started snoring on the other chair next to him.

He hated coach.

The others were up in first class talking while he tried whispering so no one would look at him funny. Last thing they needed was for everyone to decide that there was a problem on the plane. He hated when people panicked in a closed off area. It reminds him of when he used to be claustrophobic.

He hears what Parker says and can't help but snap. "What's it gonna be Parker? Gold bars? They don't exactly travel well."

But when he hears Nate say that Parker is right it could be something else he winces slightly. He's going to have to say sorry later. But his excuse is that they all expect him to be grumpy, might find it a little odd if he was always in a good mood around Parker so he has to pretend to be grumpy and irritated with her sometimes. She understands, but it doesn't always make him feel better about doing it. (Except when he is grumpy or irritated with her, then it's just another part of being in the relationship. She has her moments with him as well.)

So they all start searching the plane and people's luggage. Later he hears Parker's list of things and can't help but smirk. There may not have been gold bars but uncut diamonds and some of the other things on this plane worth a lot of money. Too bad none of it seemed to belong to the GenoGrow.

Talking to Parker's problem flyer hadn't been fun, but it had answered most of their questions. Unfortunately breaking the news for her hadn't been easy. Well, it had been for Parker, but her reaction to the news hadn't been good. Which was normal, but something he didn't want to have to deal with so Sophie tried to handle her while he talked to Nate.

They figured out that it was a hit, but they still needed some more answers, and only the hit mad would be able to give them to them so Eliot went into the bathroom between first and second class and waited.

Waiting in the bathroom to grab another man and pull him in there with him wasn't something Eliot liked to do, but something he'd had to do more then once. At least every time he had to do it he got to beat the guy up so there was an upside to it. Still, he would have rather been pulling Parker in there for something else entirely.

But he heard the knock Sophie made when she passed by and waited a moment before opening the door and pulling the guy in. The fight started immediately after that.

Flushing the toilet after he left he opened the door and squeezed through, trying to make sure no one got a peek inside. Parker would make sure no one entered the bathroom after him and he made his way up to the bar in first class.

Nate took a look at him and saluted with his plastic cup and Parker came up behind him and walked around the bar and handed him a small towel a moment later that he used on his forehead.

They heard Hardison tell them there was some more news and they all listened, and it started sounding worse the more they heard.

"The easiest way? Take 'em out in transit." Eliot said, answering Nate's question. Eliot could feel Parker's eyes on him but he didn't look at her.

"You mean bring down the plane their on. You mean bring down the plane _we're_ on." Sophie said.

"Um, yeah." Nate said and they had a moment where they all exchanged glances.

They took a moment to let it sink in before they started to react and come up with a plan to stop it from happening.

As soon as Eliot said cargo hold Parker started walking. She knew she was going to have to be the one to go down there. She was the smallest and could fit and probably the only one who knew how to get down there, or wouldn't be stopped.

Once she got down there she looked through both Dan and Marissa's luggage. Nothing was found in either of the two and Hardison's voice came through the comms asking her if she saw anything.

Which is how they discovered the device that would crash the plane.

* * *

Luckily for them they made it out alive. Hardison was able to hack into the technology responsible for sabotaging the plane and reset it at the right moment. The landing had been the other scary part but they had made it through that as well.

Though Parker would be bruised the next few days from being thrown around down in the luggage area while the others got to strap in to their seats but they all made it out alive so she didn't really mind it.

By the time they had gotten home, which meant jumping on a different plane almost as soon as they got off the last one, they weren't in a very good mood. Parker and Eliot were tired, sore, and irritated.

Nate and Sophie seemed to be taking the whole thing better then they were but they weren't the one's who had to be thrown about or fight a trained killer. So they ignored Hardison when he started making light of the whole thing. But when he started saying he saved them all, they started to get a little annoyed with him. So instead of making a scene or getting mad they just left. Parker to her office, to get her things to leave while Eliot stopped by the kitchen to put his glass away before he left.

He knew Parker would met him at the house as soon as she could so he headed straight there. As soon as he got home he headed to the kitchen to start dinner. They hadn't had anything to eat since earlier that day and he knew Parker would be hungry and he needed the distraction.

Parker got home right as he placed the main dish in the oven. Closing the oven door he walked over to the living room and sat down on the couch and waited. A moment later he heard the door open, then close, and her soft footfalls coming closer.

As soon as she was in sight he held his arms out and then she was plastered against them and he gripped her tight and just felt her. They could have died today, together but not together. Not able to say a word.

It was even worse to know that while the plane was going down, even if they landed there wasn't a guarantee she would be safe. They were all strapped in but she had been below them in the cargo hold with no one there to make sure she didn't get injured too badly. And afterwards when he had saw that she was fine he had wanted to just hold her and he hadn't been able to, had to pretend that he didn't even think about how dangerous it had been for her.

"Should we tell them?" He murmured into her hair.

Parker pulled back just enough to look at his face. "Tell them about us?" She asked.

"Yeah, about us. Why are we hiding it from them? Shouldn't we trust them by now?" He asked her.

"I want to but-" Parker started then stopped. "You and I, that's big, I can trust them with some things but I'm not sure I can trust them with us. You're too important to me. What happens if it get's out there that we're together, what happens when people we've pissed off group together to come get us?" She asked.

"Do you think they'll let it slip?" He asked, moving one hand up to cup her cheek.

"I think if we start acting like a couple in public it will get out. I think one comment in the wrong setting can be dangerous. I would love to be able to tell everyone you were mine and I was yours and not be cautious or afraid to act like I want to in public. I want to be able to kiss you or hug you or take your hand. But for us it's too dangerous. If we want us to last and not have to go different ways we have to keep a low profile. We've both pissed off dangerous people. Thankfully we're both hard to find, but our names are too recognizable. We could be linked as a team but as soon as people link it romantically they think it's a weakness and they'll come after us." Parker said, leaning into his touch and looking into his eyes.

Eliot nodded. "I know, I just wish that things were different sometimes. But I wouldn't change us for anything. I'd like to be able to touch you in public, to worry about you, to let every guy that hit's on you know your off limit's but I wouldn't trade all that for you. If this is the only thing we can have then that's fine, I like it when it's just me and you, darlin'." Eliot told her, then moved his hand to the back of her neck to tug her head down gently.

He kissed her and she responded eagerly. Eliot pulled his head back and rested his forehead against hers.

"Are you okay?" He asked, running his hands down her back. She hadn't complained about anything earlier but he wanted to make sure she was okay.

"Just sore." Parker whispered, then leaned down and rested her head under his chin and wrapped herself around him.

"I love you." She told him in a quiet voice and Eliot smiled.

They didn't say it all the time because they knew how the other felt, but it was always nice to hear.

"I love you too, Parker." He told her, running a hand through her hair. "I love you too."

* * *

Please review!


	8. The Snow Job

The Snow Job

This chapter is for **meg63005** who bid and won a fic from me to help Haiti. So here it is!

* * *

"Parker! We're going to be late!" Eliot called out from the kitchen hoping she would pay attention.

"I'm coming!" She said through the intercom she was just finishing. She had decided that it would be a nice project so she had started installing a intercom throughout the house a week ago and was almost done. He wasn't exactly sure why she wanted one so much but he hadn't argued with her.

She had allowed him to "booby trap" the perimeter of their house, so he thought it was only fair. And it would be nice to be able to talk to her while she was in the attic without having to actually go up there. Especially if he was in the basement and needed something, so he hadn't put up a fight and hadn't protested other then to ask if she knew how to install them.

The look she had given him had made him regret asking but he had wanted to know before she pulled out the wiring if he was going to have to be worried about getting shocked in the middle of the night. But so far it looked like she knew what she was doing. She may not have had all of Hardison's knowledge with a computer but she was still good with electronics. Which was more then he could say.

Computers weren't exactly his best friends.

Skipping down the stairs Parker took off her tool belt and looked at him. "I'm ready." She told him, coming into the kitchen.

Eliot nodded and pushed his plate away. He stood up and brought it to the sink.

"Want anything to eat? I can make you something really quick or we've got some fruit on the table if you want to eat that." He told her.

Parker shook her head and opened one of the cupboards and pulled out her bag of fortune cookies. "I'm good. I'm not that hungry today so I'm just going to grab a few and eat on the way." She said and Eliot sighed.

"Fine, but try eating something kind of healthy for lunch please?" He asked and Parker grinned at him.

"I'll try." She said, and skipped over to him and kissed him before she twirled away.

"Come on, we've got to go!" She said and grinned at him when he groaned.

"I was the one who was just saying that!" He protested before grabbing his wallet and keys. With one last check he made sure she had her keys then watched her walk out the door before he set the alarm and followed her out.

Both of them walked over to their own cars and looked at each other.

"I'll talk the long way." Parker told him and he nodded already planning which route he would take so they would come from opposite directions, or at least look like they came from opposite directions.

"See you there." He said and got into his truck.

* * *

Warning bells were going off in Eliot's head as soon as he saw Nate walk in late with a hangover, and the feeling only grows worse the further they get into this job. He watches Sophie storm out and Nate not do a damn thing and he suddenly feels on edge.

When they're on the plane to Aspen and Nate asks Parker how long she can hang from a ski lift without getting tired his skin starts itching. He gets up and goes to the bathroom so he can shake the feeling away but he doesn't look at Nate when he get's back.

He's not sure what his face will show if he looks at Nate now. He doesn't need Sophie reading him, not when he got a violent urge surging through his body.

It's an urge he hasn't had for a while, not towards anyone on the team and not toward Nate, but Nate just asked Parker how long she could hang from a ski lift and the only reason Eliot knows she will be fine is because she said she could do it without difficulty for hours if needed.

If Parker says she can do it, she can. Parker doesn't boast or lie about her skills, doesn't see any reason why. She was never taught to brag, and when your able to do everything she can do there really isn't a reason to.

But he also knew that Parker would do crazy things and push her limits if people let her, and he isn't so sure that Nate is in the right mind to be asking her to do crazy things.

But he doesn't say anything. He _knows _Parker can support her own body weight for hours, he's seen her practicing that before. She has always said that it's an important thing to know; that it was good to be confident in a length of time when you were outside a building and high off the ground.

But it isn't until they are in Miami that he starts to realize that Nate is breaking down. Really breaking down. Nate is starting to come apart and loose it completely, and Eliot's not sure it will be safe enough to stick around anymore.

He'll give Nate a little more room, but he's not going to stick around and watch the man drown them all. First sign that Nate can't think straight anymore, that the alcohol has clouded his head completely and he's no longer thinking about the risks involved, Eliot will grab Parker and they'll disappear.

He likes this team, respects Nate most of the time, but he wont risk Parker. Especially since she doesn't always know when to stop.

* * *

She knows that Eliot's on edge from something, but she isn't quite sure what. He's a little more tense lately. She knows the others don't notice it, but she's been with him for over three years and she can tell. His smile is a little less real, his eyes a little tighter and narrowed more. He also starts getting super aware of what everyone is doing. He sleeps less too when he's like this, like he thinks he always has to be on guard.

Eliot's conditioned himself to need very little sleep and he only sleeps maybe an hour or two when she isn't there beside him. It doesn't help either of them that they weren't able to catch more then an hour or two together alone. Most of the time the others are wanting to go over plans or talk or something. Hardison is practically following her around so much that she's finding it hard to disappear. But she's made sure that every time she's out of his sight she doesn't have any technology with her, no phone and she's swept herself for bugs this time. She's clean.

Every time he asks her where she was when she gets back she just blinks at him with wide eyes and asks him "When?" and it seems to work. At least he isn't pushing her. This team building stuff is annoying sometimes, but she's gotten to learn a couple tricks with some new gadgets so it's not totally bad.

But back to Eliot. She's pretty sure that his twitchiness is being cause by Nate and Sophie, but mostly by Nate. Nate's drinking is getting worse and Sophie and Nate seem to be fighting all the time and Nate's asking her to hang from a ski lift, which she doesn't mind doing, but she knows that Eliot hates that she's doing it. He's seen her practice and he knows she can do it, she wouldn't lie about it, but she also knows he's overprotective and hates not being able to be there when she's hanging from a height without a zip line.

So Parker is watching Sophie and Nate and Eliot and trying to dodge Hardison without making it seem like she's dodging him and the whole situation is starting to make her confused. She doesn't know why everyone is mad at each other, she just knows that there is something going on.

She's really glad when they get to Miami. They get their hotel rooms and Eliot has the room next to her while Hardison got the room down the hall because the WI-FI signal was better over there. So she gets to spend some time with Eliot the night before they check out the house where the Redsingers' live.

It's actually fun planting the booster in the office on the second floor. Sure she was almost caught, but Eliot was working with her for once. He gave her a boost up and was there to catch her when she jumped out the window. She took him by surprise but he still caught her, or at least cushioned her landing.

When he asked her how she knew he was there she remembered about their comms just in time to tell him that she didn't know he was there. Which was a lie, since she knows the proper way to fall and you never just belly flop to the ground. She would tell him later that she always knows where he is when they are in the same area and that she knew he would catch her because he's always right where she needs him.

Instead in the moment she just smiles and they make their way back to the car so that Hardison and Nate can do their part.

But then Nate starts changing the plan and she's starting to realize why everyone is getting mad at Nate. She's starting to get mad at him too.

* * *

When they get back to the hotel that night everyone heads for Nate's room because they've all got a problem with the way this job has turned out. They all want to do a little venting.

Eliot is standing by the window and trying to hold onto his temper while the others start bickering behind him and Nate pours himself another drink at the bar. Finally, when you can't hear what any of them are saying because they aren't pausing to listen to each other he turns around and cuts them off. They all have things to say, but the need to stop bickering with each other and get on the same side and see where the problem is really coming from: Nate. Fighting each other isn't going to get them anything. So he raises his voice and crosses the room to stand behind the couch Parker is sitting on. The others in the room will probably never realize it, and he hopes they don't, but it's his way of telling Parker that he's got her back.

And if things get ugly, he wants to be close by. Not that he thinks things will get violent, but he doesn't want anything nasty to be said.

But it doesn't turn out how he thinks it will at all. Nate tells them that instead of helping just the client, he's going to try to help them all. That they are running a bigger, different scam instead.

Eliot looks at the others, looks at Parker who seems excited and huffs as Nate does his elusive crap and walks out. He wants to see where this is going, and so far no one has been hurt. He isn't ready to cut and run just yet.

* * *

They are at the hospital, waiting for Nate to arrive. They've managed to get into the room that they need. She's pretty sure it's because of something Hardison did on his computer earlier but she doesn't really care. Instead Parker goes straight for the bed by the machine and hops on and lays back. She makes sure no one is looking before she shoots Eliot a smirk and a wiggle of her eyebrows, knowing he can't say or react to her on the bed and teasing him is always kind of fun.

He's relaxed enough to smile back at her and Parker thinks that maybe everyone has started to calm down. But Nate's still late to meeting them, so maybe things aren't as great as they could be.

Sophie tells her she's playing the tumor lady and Nate walks in smelling like alcohol as soon as she complains. Sophie asks Nate where he's been and Parker tilts her head to look at Eliot and notices his eyes narrow just a little and knows he's on edge again.

Which just kind of sucks because they just spent a few hours relaxing in bed and she had just got him smiling and teasing again and now he's all tense and on alert.

When the others start talking about how they are supposed to fake her having a tumor she starts going on alert. There is no way they are going to be injecting anything into her, especially not her brain. Luckily before she and Eliot have to go all kick ass on them (and she's been spending way too much time team bonding with Hardison cause she's starting to talk like him,) Eliot gives them a suggestion that will most likely work and not cause her any harm.

Parker tries not to smile at him while the others all give him slightly disbelieving looks. Once they aren't looking she shoots him a wink and smirks at him and watches as he sends her a quick look back, a half smirk on his lips.

Then she hears that Nate wants them to find him a brain and she can't help herself.

"Oh yeah, he's definitely getting creepier."

* * *

Eliot isn't happy that he's the one who has to steal the body, but he does it anyway. It's the only way to do what they have planned, and if the alternative is to try to give Parker a false tumor…while it's not the first dead body he's ever been around. So he can live with it. He can hear Sophie trying to coach Parker about her acting and almost wants to laugh. Instead he can't help the smirk that tugs at his lips and glares at one of the male nurses that shoots him a weird look. He isn't in a happy mood cause someone is dead, even if it looks like it and the guy should mind his own business.

Both he and Hardison argue about who is injecting the cadaver with the hot wax and he suggests rock, paper, scissors to decide whose doing it. He wins, of course, and Hardison has to do it. Then they have to get the body ready and Hardison gets to his computer and does his things and it's time for the others to do their thing.

The doctor falls for it and Dennis starts talking with the others, but he's still not going along with their plans, not completely. Then Nate changes the plan on them _again_ without letting them know and he writes Dennis a check.

Nate writes Dennis a check using the account the team had set up for emergencies or for certain jobs. It usually isn't a big deal to use the account, but everyone has to agree on it before the money is touched. The reason for this is because the money in that account comes from all of them - except Nate who gave most of his money away - but most of the money comes from Parker.

The account had been created on another job when a large amount was needed and they had to get it fast. It had been an almost mess where they had been scrambling to gather the needed money. Since Parker was the only one who didn't like spending her money, and instead usually preferred keeping it locked away she had put in the most in the account with the guarantee that they replaced whatever they took out.

It was a big deal of trust that she was giving to them. Parker could almost trust her life to someone before she trusted them with her money. For her to do to put that much trust in them, Eliot wasn't sure the others realized how big that was. It didn't matter that the amount in the account wasn't even 1/10th of what Parker had locked away in hiding places where even Hardison wouldn't be able to find it. The fact that she was willing to put any money in a place where others could take it was a huge thing.

So when Nate wrote Dennis a check with the money in that account, the money that was mostly Parker's money, Nate crossed a line. Parker ran out of the room and Eliot got up, knowing he was the only one who had a chance of stopping her and knowing that if she got to Nate she wouldn't only blow the whole thing, but if she actually reached him she would move past stunned surprise into violence.

He could hear Sophie's nervous chatter as he rushed after Parker. She knew Nate signing over that much money without consulting them was bad. He had changed the plan so many times on this job no one was sure what the hell he was doing or if he could pull it off, but so far everyone had been going alone. This was pushing everything they had been feeling the past few days past their limits. Things were going to come to a head now.

Luckily when Parker reached the area where Sophie, Nate, and Dennis were at Dennis wasn't looking and Eliot was able to grab Parker and haul her out of there while she was silently demanding that Nate tell her what he was doing. He wanted answers too, but he knew they would have to wait until Dennis was gone if they had even a tiny chance of getting that money back.

* * *

"I'll kill him Eliot. I will fucking kill him." Parker said as Eliot drove them back to the hotel.

The others had all decided that a meeting was needed, so they would all be meeting in Sophie's room at the hotel. They had all agreed that Eliot should take Parker back - since he was the only one who wasn't afraid of her - and he had agreed. None of them had listened to Parker's suggestions. Mostly because she kept saying she would ride with Nate then mumble something about knowing how to get out of a moving vehicle in time.

So Eliot was driving them back to the hotel and was hoping that Parker would calm down enough that she wouldn't attack Nate before she got all the information.

"I know you want to darlin' and I'm not saying that you can't, but just try to hear him out okay?" Eliot told her after Parker threatened to kill Nate for the fifth time. She seemed a little better by the time they pulled into the parking lot and she was at least controlling herself if not calm.

He kept an eye on her though, and was relieved when she didn't lunge towards Nate as soon as she was in the same room as him, instead choosing to pace quietly in the corner of the room while everyone else sat down.

"How is she doing?" Sophie whispered to him as he walked toward the table to sit.

"Doing better. I'd keep her away from the sharp objects though. She came up with 15 different ways to kill Nate before she just started thinking about the best ways injure him. She's pissed, but she's willing to listen. You better hope he's got something good to say though Soph. If he doesn't-" He said trailing off and watched as she nodded.

"I know. But let's just try to hear him out okay?" She pleaded quietly and he nodded as he grabbed a chair at the table.

Satisfied, Sophie sat down on the couch and watched Parker pace.

Hardison came in with his computer and watched Parker pace for a moment before shooting Sophie and Eliot looks and sitting down and starting to type. After a moment Hardison glanced at Nate, who sat there looking like he didn't have a care, and caught Eliot's eyes, throwing him a worried look.

"I'll stop payment on the check, just give me a few seconds." Hardison said, trying to fix the mess they were in.

But Nate's response, like he seriously didn't care about it pissed them all off. But it set Parker off again. Eliot watched her but he knew that this time she wasn't surprised, she was in control and was a little relieved. A surprised or startled Parker was more dangerous in the short term. Parker in control wouldn't make a move then, she would plan it out.

Nate tried to explain, but it just seemed like excuses now. When he said they would have to trust him, that blew Eliot's temper.

Why should they have to trust Nate when he wasn't trusting them? When he was just running loose without having any good explanations for his actions? They would all be willing to trust Nate, let the past speak for itself, if he would only explain what was going on in his head. But right now they had no explanations, only half-hearted excuses and Nate was drunk most of the time. He was falling apart and none of them wanted to be dragged down with him. Except maybe Sophie.

But he didn't handle drunks well, never had. So having Nate drunk around him just put him on edge and now Nate was hurting Parker, whether he thought he was or not, Parker was hurting. He could see her glaring at Nate and her fingers were almost twitching with the desire to hurt him. Then Nate started to say crap to him and he lost it. Only Sophie stopped him from doing something he might have regretted later.

Instead Sophie asked to have a few minutes alone with Nate and they all filed out.

"Parker-" Hardison started but Parker brushed past him, heading to her room. A few seconds later her door could be heard slamming and Hardison and Eliot both winced. Parker never made noises when entering or leaving a room unless she was pissed or doing it to purposely so someone would know she was in the room.

Both men exchanged looks.

"I got this." Eliot said, patting Hardison on the back and walking down to Parker's room.

"Parker, let me in." He said, knocking quietly.

After a moment Parker opened the door and waved him in, her lips pressed together.

She shut the door behind him and moved into the middle of the room and turning her back to him before she unleashed everything.

"I trusted him Eliot, I trusted all of them. But he- Nate- I trusted him!" Parker started turning to look at Eliot, tears coming to her eyes but not falling over.

"They don't get it, what that means. To them it's just money, it's not as important as other things, it doesn't mean the same. But to me- they just don't understand. How could he do that? Just give it away. He didn't talk to me. He doesn't even care!" Parker said and Eliot walked over to her, pulling her into his arms.

"I know darlin' I know. They don't get it, but I do. Okay. I know what that meant for you. It meant that you were trusting them, that you were letting them in and he messed that up. You say the word and we're out of here. Got it?" He told her pulling back to kiss her forehead.

"We were supposed to be a team!" Parker said, angry and hurt.

"I know. Nate he's-" Eliot started but was interrupted by a knock on Parker's door. Both of them turned to look at the door in confusion.

"If that's Nate I'm going to gut him with a shot glass." Parker stated as Eliot let go of her and moved towards the door.

"I might just help." Eliot mumbled and opened the door.

Sophie and Hardison were standing there.

"Can we come in?" Sophie asked and Eliot nodded towards Parker who crossed her arms and shrugged.

Both of them came in and Eliot shut the door behind them and leaned back against it, crossing his arms.

"You say anything good to him? He give you a reason for any of this?" Eliot asked.

"He's-" Sophie started then stopped. "No. He didn't. He's drunk, and he's starting to fall apart. We can all see it. But if we can get through this-" Sophie started but was interrupted when all three of them started groaning and talking at the same time.

"You said it yourself, he's falling apart." Eliot started.

"He's changing the plans, not letting us know anything, that's not Nate, that's drunken Nate. I don't want any of that." Hardison commented.

"My money Sophie! He was using my money, and he didn't care! He didn't care about anything!" Parker burst out.

"Hey!" Sophie said, raising her voice to get them to stop. "I know okay. He's getting worse. If we leave now he wont make it." Sophie told them.

"How is that our problem?" Eliot demanded, arms crossed. Hardison and Parker nodded, agreeing. "He's making it clear he doesn't care about us. Why should we care?"

"Please you three. Eliot, Hardison, Parker. If you can't do it for him, please do it for me. Just finish out this job. If things start to go bad you can cut and run, but I think he can still do it. If he pulls this off, if he gets a little better, please stay. For me? Please." Sophie pleaded with them.

They all exchanged looks but Eliot was only focused on what Parker's answer would be. His depended on hers. He noticed Hardison was looking at her as well.

Parker sighed. "He better get me my money back. After that, I'm taking my money out of that account so you can put it in or he can put it in. My money is under my control. If I decide to share it fine, but no one else get's to sign it away." Parker said and Sophie nodded.

"Understood." Sophie said, nodding.

"He crossed a line. He crosses it again and I wont be here to watch him do it a third time. Got it?" Eliot asked.

"Of course." Sophie said and turned to look at Hardison.

"Well if you all are staying I'm staying." He told them with a small smile. "But do any of us have a plan or any idea how this is supposed to work out?"

"Not really." Sophie admitted.

"No." Eliot said.

"Not a clue." Parker told him.

"Great. So we really have to rely on Nate's plan to work?" Hardison asked.

"Pretty much." Eliot told him then stood up. "I'm going to the gym. I need to hit something and the nearest bar is a couple miles out so the punching bag will have to do." He said.

"I need a shower." Parker stated then stared at Sophie and Hardison blankly until they stood up and made their excuses and left.

Eliot made his way to the elevator and pushed the button for the gym while he thought. Nate, Sophie, Hardison, Parker, and him all liked what they were doing. Helping people who needed it. They liked being a team and working together. But now he trusted them a little less. Now he would be making backup plans in case things went bad. He hoped everything worked out, he really did.

But if anyone hurt Parker again, or put her in risk, he wasn't sure how he would react. These people were starting to be an almost family, but now he respected Nate a little less. Still, he was giving it all another chance. You could fix something that was broken, it just took time.

Trust could be earned back. He really did hope that Nate got better. He didn't want to call it quits. Not yet.

* * *

Please review!


End file.
